Are you waiting on God? Have you asked Him for:
- Sight for the blind
- Healing for the sick
- Food for the hungry
- Faith for the doubter
- Salvation for the lost
- Freedom for the slave
- Peace for those at war
- Comfort for the hurting
- Clarity for the confused
- Wisdom for the reckless
- Homes for the homeless
- Sobriety for the addicted
- Hope for the discouraged
- Forgiveness for the guilty
- Work for the unemployed
- Direction for the misguided
- Protection for those in danger
- Or anything else only He can do?
What does it mean to wait on God? In summary, it means to trust Him.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
But let’s dig deeper. To wait on God is to:
- Confidently move forward with faith, peace and endurance.
- Completely abandon arrogance, vengeance and selfishness.
- Continually trust in His righteous nature, sovereign rule and divine care.
As we wait on God, we are to focus on Him and surrender our cares and worries to Him.
- Matthew 6:33-34 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Here are a few examples from the Bible that show us both successes and failures from people who were waiting on God.
Abraham and Sarah
While waiting for the promised son, they executed their own plan.
- Genesis 16:1-2 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.
- Even those with great faith can make bad decisions when they lose sight of God’s promises.
- We must keep our eyes on Him and trust His timing.
Joseph
While waiting to get out of prison, he used the gifts God had given him.
- Genesis 40:9-13 Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “Behold, in my dream a vine was before me, 10 and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes. 11 Then Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” 12 And Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days. 13 Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler.
- Even in the most difficult times, God is working to fulfill His purposes.
- We must bring Him glory by continuing to use the gifts He has blessed us with.
Peter
While waiting for Christ to deliver Israel, he could be impulsive in his speech.
- Matthew 16:21-23 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
- Even when we don’t understand what God is doing, His ways and plans are perfect.
- We must submit our attitudes and words to Him and trust that all He does is good and right.
Paul
While waiting to die for his faith, he looked forward to the glories of being with Christ in Heaven.
- 2 Timothy 4:6-8 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
- Even as we see the end of our lives approaching, the realities of His eternal promises come more clearly into view.
- We must stay focused on the present as we confidently look forward with faith, peace and endurance.
As always, our ultimate example of how to live a God-honoring life is Jesus.
Jesus
While waiting for His humiliation and death:
He completed the work He was given.
- John 17:4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.
- Even though Satan and the religious leaders did all they could to stop Him, Jesus faithfully moved forward in obedience.
- We must obey Father God in all things at all times if we are going to complete the work He has given us.
He submitted to the Father.
- Matthew 26:39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
- Even as His betrayal, arrest, torture and death approached, Jesus surrendered everything to the will of His Father.
- We must see beyond our present circumstances and what may appear to be failure in our lives and surrender to the timing, ways and outcomes of His perfect plan.
He loved those who would kill Him.
- Luke 23:33-34 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.
- Even as He was dying on a Roman cross, He lovingly prayed for those who put Him there.
- We must be willing to sacrifice everything to demonstrate genuine Godly love for others.
In all things we should glorify Father God. Whatever we are waiting on Him for (no matter how seemingly insignificant or obviously all consuming), we must continue to focus on, surrender to, and trust in Him.
As you wait on God, genuinely, desperately, passionately, earnestly, confidently and faithfully pray that He will help you to:
- Love Him
- Trust Him
- Seek Him
- Obey Him
- Praise Him
- Thank Him
- Follow Him
- Appeal to Him
- Confess to Him
- Avoid offending Him
- Humble yourself before Him
- Use the gifts that come from Him
- Complete any work ordained by Him
- And seize every opportunity to honor Him.
Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Prayer
Dear Lord, help us to wait on You in ways that honor You. Please help us to see beyond our present circumstances to the future realities that you have promised and secured. Your way is always the best way. Your timing is always just right. Your love never fails. Your truth sets us free. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen
